Brighton Council welcomes the Greater Hobart Transport vision in a bid to improve public and private transportation between south-central areas and the city.

With as much as 70% of the growing Brighton population commuting to Hobart or Glenorchy for work, transport options are critical. “A large proportion of people from Brighton, Sorell, Southern Midlands and the Derwent Valley commute into the metro area of Hobart for work, areas that include some of Greater Hobart’s highest growth suburbs. The proposals would greatly benefit these people, giving them more choice, opportunities and potentially save them time and money.” Mayor Leigh Gray said.

The Greater Hobart Transport Vision currently includes an increase to bus scheduling, an upgrade to the cycle network and expanded ferry routes for Northern access to the city. “A protected cycleway all the way from Brighton into and throughout the city can easily be achieved in the coming few years, with not too many gaps left in the main route. As pointed out by Bob Clifford, an expanded ferry service could have stops at Old Beach and Bridgewater or Gagebrook and could even extend to New Norfolk easily once the new Bridgewater Bridge is completed,” Mayor Gray said.

Since the launch of the regional employment hub, Southcentral Workforce Network by Brighton and surrounding councils(Derwent Valley, Central Highlands and Southern Midlands),accessibility and cost of transport were identified as major constraints for residents to access education, training and employment. “Many in our community depend on bus services, but the cost, frequency and scheduling can be prohibitive,” said Brighton Mayor Leigh Gray.

The Greater Hobart Transport vision has committed $870 million to upgrade transport infrastructure for both public and private transport options. “We commend the metro councils for their submission and will enthusiastically work with them and the State Government to bring as much as possible to fruition. Brighton wants to play its part in making the Hobart City Deal a transformative success over the coming years,” Mayor Gray said.